A lot of airlines have come and gone over the years, some beloved by many, others not so much. I thought it would be fun to see how many of you have flown on a selection of defunct airlines.
There are 20 airlines randomly listed below. The choices are just the ones that sprang instantly to mind when I was putting the list together. Some I have flown, some I have never flown, but many of them should be recognisable to most people.
Defunct Airlines of the USA
There have been a good number of airlines that have disappeared in the USA. Some through mergers and acquisitions, others via bankruptcy and mismanagement. Frequent flyers should remember some of them.
Defunct Airlines of Australia and New Zealand
Heading down to the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand were also not immune to deregulation and a changing industry. Some household names in the aviation industry are no longer with us.
Defunct Airlines of Europe
Finishing out the list are the airlines in Europe. Lots of former flag carriers and others have gone to the dustbin of history. All are still remembered by some people though.
Overall Thoughts
How many of these defunct airlines have you been on? For me, the number is three. I flew with Ansett, East-West and Malev and not one of the others.
It’s a shame, as I would have loved to have tried some of these airlines. For example, I know Swissair had an excellent reputation among travellers, and who wouldn’t have wanted to try Pan Am and TWA.
Anyway, what say you? If you have travelled on some of them, what were they good at or bad at? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Pan Am by Dietmar Plath. TWA by Ralf Manteufel.
Eastern by Jose R Santiago. Allegheny by clipperarctic.
PSA by Piergiuliano Ches. Air Florida by Peter James Cook.
Continental Airlines by Jon Proctor. Northwest via Yesterdays Airlines.
Aloha by Jon Proctor. Ansett by unknown.
TAA by RuthAS. East-West by Peter Lea.
MMA by R N Smith. TEAL via Aussieairliners.org.
Swissair by unknown. Sabena by Torsten Maiwald.
Malev by Dmitriy Pichugin. Interflug by Felix Goetting.
Air Inter by Michel Gilliand. BEA by BAe Systems.
Since 1965, I have flown on 980 different airlines on 7896 flights in 157 different UN countries including 17 of the 20 listed. Missing from my list are Interflug, Teal, and MacRobertson-Miller.
Wow, now that’s very impressive! You’ve flown a huge amount – nice!
Don’t forget Texas International and People Express in the US.
Of course! I know of both, but they aren’t top of mind for me. Thanks for that!
Pan Am, TWA, Northwest, Piedmont, Continental, America West, and US Airways – which is more than I’d realized until you posed the question.
Quite a decent number really! Thanks for sending that over, I always find it interesting to see.
Just major ones that were lost to mergers. Pan-AM, TWA, Northwest, Continental, and US Airways.
Some big names there – wish I’d had the opportunity to fly those!
It just sucks that I was 6 years old at the time and don’t remember much of the trip itself.
I wish I could say for certain I was on Pan AM’s 747SP and JAL’s 747SR during that trip, but since Pan Am’s 747SPs went to UA in April, I don’t know what their status was flying in the summer of 1985.
All I remember is that it was a direct flight from JFK-NRT and there were only a handful of airlines that flew that route back then.
That’s true, and a shame you don’t remember. Even so, it was a different era for flying, that’s for sure. At least you’ve narrowed it down. Perhaps someday you’ll have an epiphany around it 🙂
US Airlines: Pan Am and TWA
Australian Airlines: East West
European Airlines: Swissair, Sabena, BEA.
A pretty decent list there! Surprised you’ve flown East-West and not Ansett or TAA. Thanks for that!
I am from the UK not Australia. The East-West flight was from Taree NSW to back to Sydney aboard an F27 after having travelled from Sydney to Taree as a passenger in a car and needing to return to Sydney alone. Apart from that I have never taken an Australian domestic flight.
Of the airlines mentioned my favourite was Swissair. An excellent airline.
Yes, I figured you were not from Australia… I’d hazard a guest most visitors do not go to Taree. I remember their Fokker F27s, those Rolls-Royce Dart engines have a pretty distinct sound. I’ve heard Swissair was an amazing airline, most of what I’ve read seems to point to the fact they were excellent.
America West Republic
I didn’t think of America West or Republic, but nice to be reminded of them.
Growing up in and later being a travel agent in Miami, my airline selection was a little skewed but I’ve flown on far too many airlines that are now gone. I still think I’ve flown more miles on Pan Am to this day than any other airline. Among others are TWA, Continental, Piedmont, Chalks (my only seaplane ride), Swissair, Ecuatoriana, BWIA, National, Alitalia, Eastern, and Northwest.
I meant to include National actually, but between the thought and writing it, it went out of my head. I’ve only been on a seaplane once myself, in Scotland of all places. Great list there and I love how Pan Am is still number one for you. You must have some great memories there!
US – Famous ones include Northwest and Western Airlines. Infamous Laker Airline. Not quite as infamous, Hooters Air.
I should have thought of Western Airlines… and probably Southern as well now I think about it. I’d forgotten that Hooters Air existed – hahaha!
In addition to six of those listed from the U.S., I flew Mohawk, National, Texas International, Republic, North Central, Western, Aspen, U.S. Airways, Piedmont (the original one) and a few long forgotten commuters.
I should have thought of Mohawk and Piedmont. Someone else also mentioned Republic, they’re not an airline that I know much about at all really. A decent list there, that’s for sure!